Arjun Maini takes maiden GP3 win at Barcelona

Maini seized the lead from polesitter Raoul Hyman at the start and was challenged by the equally fast-starting Boccolacci at the first turn.

Published on May 14, 2017 07:31:00 PM

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Haas Formula 1 development driver Arjun Maini won an entertaining GP3 sprint race at Barcelona after breaking free of the advances of Trident's Dorian Boccolacci.

Maini seized the lead from polesitter Raoul Hyman at the start and was challenged by the equally fast-starting Boccolacci at the first turn.

But the Frenchman slid wide going around the outside of the corner and Maini was able to race clear in first place.

Boccolacci stayed in touch with the Jenzer Motorsports driver during the early stages and used his first of four DRS activations at the start of the fifth tour of the race's 17 laps.

The advantage from opening the rear wing allowed the rookie to close the gap to Maini and he attacked at the first corner on the following lap.

But Maini resisted around the outside of the right-hander and the two touched wheels going through the left of Turn 2, which cost Boccolacci momentum and exposed him to the advances of ART Grand Prix's Anthoine Hubert, who had dispatched Hyman on the previous lap.

That scrap gave Maini the chance to break free for good and he quickly moved clear, going on to claim his maiden GP3 win by 6-seconds at the flag.

Boccolacci - now deprived of the use of DRS in attack and defence - held on to claim his first GP3 podium and finished 1s clear of Maini's Jenzer team-mate Alessio Lorandi, who claimed his second third place of the weekend after passing Hubert late on.

Mercedes F1 junior driver George Russell finished fifth after coming off best in a scrap with race one winner - and ART team-mate - Nirei Fukuzumi as they both tried to get past Hyman, who eventually finished seventh, in the closing stages.

Santino Ferrucci came home eighth for DAMS, ahead of Kevin Joerg, and Julien Falchero rounded out the top ten.

After being forced out of second place in race one when a sensor problem shutdown his engine, Jack Aitken had to start race two from 19th on the grid.

But the Briton was able to fight his way up to 13th place by flag to record his first finish of the season.

Leonardo Pulcini - who finished second in race one - ended up 17th after being shown the black-and-orange flag in the early laps, which meant the Italian rookie had to pit and allow his Arden mechanics to change his front wing.

Fukuzumi now leads the championship standings on 29 points, four clear of Lorandi and eight in front of Maini.

RESULT

POSDRIVERTEAMLAPSGAP
1Arjun MainiJenzer Motorsport1728m05.908s
2Dorian BoccolacciTrident176.060s
3Alessio LorandiJenzer Motorsport177.171s
4Anthoine HubertART Grand Prix178.268s
5George RussellART Grand Prix179.335s
6Nirei FukuzumiART Grand Prix1711.309s
7Raoul HymanCampos Racing1714.085s
8Santino FerrucciDAMS1716.638s
9Kevin JorgTrident1717.813s
10Julien FalcheroCampos Racing1720.265s
11Giuliano AlesiTrident1723.251s
12Jack AitkenART Grand Prix1723.511s
13Bruno BaptistaDAMS1726.863s
14Niko KariArden International1727.888s
15Steijn SchothorstArden International1729.709s
16Marcos SiebertCampos Racing1731.093s
17Leonardo PulciniArden International171m06.654s
18Ryan TveterTrident161 Lap
-Tatiana CalderonDAMS11Retirement

DRIVERS' STANDINGS

POSDRIVERPOINTS
1Nirei Fukuzumi29
2Alessio Lorandi25
3Arjun Maini21
4Dorian Boccolacci20
5Anthoine Hubert20
5George Russell20
7Leonardo Pulcini18
8Raoul Hyman6
9Jack Aitken4
10Santino Ferrucci3
11Marcos Siebert1
12Kevin Jorg0
13Julien Falchero0
14Giuliano Alesi0
15Ryan Tveter0
16Bruno Baptista0
17Niko Kari0
18Tatiana Calderon0
19Steijn Schothorst0

 

 

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